Handling an information plate includes receiving the information plate at a roller element, the information plate rolling over the roller element; detecting a position of the information plate using a scanning lever, the scanning lever having a scanning edge pressed against an edge of the information plate; driving a transport wheel into rotation based on the detected position of the information plate; exerting a tangential force on the edge of the information plate using the transport wheel; and transporting the information plate into a loading device, the information plate supported by the transport wheel and the roller element.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method, comprising: receiving an information plate at a roller element, the information plate rolling over the roller element; detecting a position of the information plate using a scanning lever, the scanning lever having a scanning edge pressed against an edge of the information plate; driving a transport wheel into rotation based on the detected position of the information plate; exerting a tangential force on the edge of the information plate using the transport wheel; and transporting the information plate into a loading device, the information plate supported by the transport wheel and the roller element.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the transport wheel and the roller element are located on separate pivoting arms; and the scanning lever and one of the pivoting arms are journaled around a common pivot axis.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the position of the information plate using the scanning lever comprises changing a resistance of a variable resistor based on the position of the information plate.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising: receiving the changes in resistance at a control unit; and controlling loading and unloading of the information plate using the received changes in resistance.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising prestressing the scanning lever against the information plate using spring force.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the spring force is provided by a torsion spring.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information plate comprises one of a CD, a CD-ROM, and a DVD.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
January 21, 2005
March 21, 2006
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